GKN Aerospace Exhibits Its Growing Rotary Wing Capability at HELI-EXPO 2016
GKN Aerospace plans to display rotary wing developments from across its global business at Booth #11743 at HELI-EXPO, from Feb. 29 - March 3, 2016. The company is an established supplier of major sections of fuselage, ice protection systems, transparencies and fuel and flotation equipment for many civil and military helicopter programmes globally. With the integration of Fokker Technologies into the GKN Aerospace operation, new capabilities are added, including advanced landing gear and mission computing.
The latest fuel tank developments will also be on display at HELI-EXPO. With a manufacturing capability in both the US and the UK, GKN Aerospace supplies full turnkey fuel systems packages from fuel storage to engine feed, as well as flexible fuel bladders, crashworthy and self-sealing systems, rotationally moulded tanks, and range extender tanks. Explosive suppressant and anti-slosh technology is incorporated when required. For the military sector, GKN Aerospace also offers the most rapid self-sealing capability on the market today.
Alongside the fuel tanks display at the HELI-EXPO booth, the company will exhibit its emergency flotation tanks. An authority on the specification, design, manufacture and qualification of complete emergency flotation systems which are designed to FAR/JAR 27 and 29, the company continues to develop new materials and fabrication techniques to meet demand for lighter weight equipment with extended performance and reliability, offering improved safety for crew and passengers.
With the incorporation of Fokker Technologies, the company is making a growing contribution to the rotary wing sector. This business is a partner in the NH-90 program and has designed and developed - and now manufactures - the helicopter’s composite tail, cabin door, advanced landing gear, sponsons, intermediate gearbox, tactical mission computer and nose wheel steering unit. The business also maintains and services NH-90 helicopters. For the Boeing AH-64 Apache, Fokker Technologies provides the forward avionics bays (FAB’s), the vertical stabilizer and landing gear. This successful collaboration has continued with the operation involved in the latest Apache version: the AH-64D Block III. Fokker Technologies also manufactures major subassemblies for the aft section of Boeing’s CH-47F Chinook and the advanced thermoplastic horizontal tailplane for the AgustaWestland AW169. One of the first of its kind in the aerospace industry, this is a 3 meter long, main load-bearing, primary structure that is 15% lighter than comparable composite solutions.
GKN Aerospace has been delivering industry-leading transparencies to the helicopter market for nearly five decades and supports programs such as AW101 Merlin, the AW159 Wildcat, and the CH-53K Super Stallion. With a strong technology base and core expertise in glass and plastics manufacture, GKN Aerospace offers high strength, lightweight, heated cockpit windshields; cockpit canopies; and lower vision windows, cabin and specialist observer structures. The company’s transparency designs can incorporate HIviz(TM) heated coatings, electro-magnetic shielding and anti-spall /anti-scratch self-healing surface protection (internal and external).